Canaj: No one trusts Kurti anymore; the most likely outcome is short-term government

University professor and former diplomat Blerim Canaj told Kosovo Online that it is unlikely that the Self-Determination Movement could form a government with any of the opposition parties because "no one trusts Kurti anymore," which is why the most likely scenario is that they form a coalition on their own, which would last until the presidential elections next year.

"An opposition coalition is possible. None of them have enough MPs on their own, and if they form a coalition, it is very likely that we will have new elections in a year due to the presidential election. This is a deadlock for all parties," Canaj told Kosovo Online.

He specified that the leaders of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) have explicitly stated that they do not want a coalition with Self-Determination.

However, he does not rule out the possibility that, in the end, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) might be open to it, as its leader, Lumir Abdixhiku, has not been as decisive so far.

"It is possible, but we cannot say with 100% certainty that he is ready because Kurti cannot be trusted. That is the issue. We know how the coalition with LDK played out last time. When forming a coalition, trust must exist, and I have the feeling that no one trusts Kurti anymore," Canaj emphasized.

When asked how much influence MPs from minority communities could have in tipping the balance, he pointed out that the Kosovo Constitution clearly states that they must be part of the executive government.

"Every government must work with minorities, and I don’t see any issue with that," he stressed.

He claimed that the opposition would be much more "constructive" in its approach to minorities.

"I believe the opposition is more constructive, especially regarding the Serbian minority in Kosovo. They have a different perspective. At least from what I see, they do not want to use minorities solely for their political goals but genuinely want the integration of the Serbian minority into institutions and life in Kosovo. That is why I think the opposition is more constructive when it comes to minorities, particularly the Serbian community," Canaj asserted.